AlternEarth Origins: Captain America
by MAB86
Summary: After a mission gone awry, Steve Rogers was selected to become a new kind of soldier, one that fights beyond the Good Battle, one that strives to protect the country and even the world from every kind of threats. This is the beginning of Steve Rogers' journey as Captain America
1. Prologue: Meet Tier 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

 **Iraqi Desert  
Tier-1 Training Camp  
18:00**

In the middle of an extended rock formation lies what seems to be a target practice area. Two towers with prominent black and white bullseye marks on the top rise on one other side of the ground, a place that seems as long as a football field. On the other side, four figures all decked in an all-black tactical uniform from head to toes, alongside a pair of goggles, black ski masks and carrying each a small semi-automatic rifle.

The first figure, a man with a white star on the left pectoral of his suit analyses the place through his goggles with all are outfitted with night vision, heat vision and HUD system

"Look alive folks, the targets are at exactly 20 meters from our position, take down the bullseyes and we win, but be careful, the towers are heavily guarded with a rifleman on each tower" said the man in a confident voice

"What's the game plan, then?" asked one of the companions who carries a red star insignia on his left pectoral

"Two will act as distraction and ensure the riflemen aim at you at all times while the shooters take care of the targets" replied the white-starred man

"I call dibs on the east side target" interjected another of the men, one carrying a red bird emblem on his left pectoral

"And I'll do cover up" added the last member, a slimmer figure than the other men and with a more feminine voice, carrying a gold bird emblem in her left pectoral of the suit

"Understood" commented the leader as he nodded his head in approval "Proceed at my sign" said as he was turning to his front, checked his rifle, gave one last look at his comrades and moved his right arm pointing his right hand with two fingers as a sign to move forward.

All four soldiers deployed into the extended field, taking cover amongst the many rocks surrounding them, but all under the eye of their leader who kept close attention to every movement. Covering inside a large rock he started to calculate in his head the measure of the field, the distance of the target and the position of the enemy, knowing it won't be an easy task.

All members made quick moves in order to avoid enemy fire, displacing with quick pace from one rock to another, getting closer to a good firing position from the east towards one of the targets.

"I'm in position" said the red bird emblem soldier to his companion, signaling to move and attack.

The gold bird emblem soldier jumped towards a gap between two rocks, firing at the east tower near the bullseye, just to attract the rifleman's attention. The other pair of soldiers take advantage of the situation and jump closer to another rock formation, shooting their rifles to their respective position, taking cover in the immediate rock formation they found.

The stains of black paint hit the wall near the bullseye mark, provoking the attention of the riflemen who start shooting in position against the soldiers. The red-bird emblem soldier maintains his position yet the gold-bird emblem soldier takes advantage of the situation to fire at the riflemen, however, the riflemen note how the enemy got exposed, taking advantage of the plan and takes her down with a precise shot straight into the front her chest.

"Man Down! Man Down! I'm going in!" exclaims the red-bird emblem soldier, retaking his position to attack one of the bullseye marks

"Stay down and await for the signal, soldier!" replies the leader, but the warning falls into deaf ears as the red-bird emblem soldier stands from his position and shoots against the target, successfully scoring a shoot right at the center of the bullseye

"Target Down!" exclaims the red-bird emblem soldier as he pumps his fist in the air, but in spite of the short celebration, the enemy rifleman manages to shoot right into his shoulder and then down into his back effectively giving him a Kill Shot

"DAMN IT!" exclaims the white-starred soldier, turning his head to watch his partner on a few steps of distance "We need to take down that last one, I'll do the shot, you keep moving; we have to shoot that bullseye"

His partner nodded his head as reply, readying his assault rifle as he makes a mental countdown until his leader steps out of the cover and shoots towards the other target, firing a long string of shots upwards has his teammate steps out aiming directly at the bullseye, moving to his left into another rock but his shot went too early, missing by a couple of inches to the right, thus the white-starred soldier jumps to his left into another rock to take cover

"Let's switch procedures, you distract, I'll shoot"

"Roger that" replied the red-starred soldier, standing up from his position and now execute what his partner was doing minutes before

They both stand side by side, making a beeline as they take their shots until the white-starred soldier's assault rifle runs out of ammunition. The red-starred soldier noticed it and pushed the white-starred soldier into one of the rocks to cover; giving the enemy the opening they needed to shoot him down. Two direct impacts into his chest and another one to his leg are enough to bring him down and instantly drop his rifle, all the while his teammate looks in complete astonishment

"NO!" screamed the white-starred soldier, seeing himself as the last man standing in the assault.

He closes his eyes trying to regain the composure, holding firmly his assault rifle, breathing deeply as he prepares to make his move, dropping his rifle to a side and then making a jump to the side, rolling to his left as he grabs his fallen partner's rifle and positions himself into the open, firing two shots straight into the bullseye. The enemy fires at him, the shots landing right near him but he remains still as he fires another one, one that hits straight into the target.

He breathes a sigh of relief as he closes his eyes but the sensation ends as the sound of a loud horn blares in the place signaling the end of the training exercise

"Finally!" screams a voice that distracts the white-starred soldier. It was the soldier with the red-bird emblem who is getting himself up "It's a relief that for the first time, I wasn't the first guy down" comments as he removes his goggles and his mask revealing his face. Male, African-American, in his late 20s, buzz-cut black hair and a goatee connected with a moustache

"Consider that a courtesy on my behalf, Sam" comments the soldier with the golden bird emblem, also removing the goggles and mask revealing her identity. Female, Caucasian, also in her late 20s, almost pale skin complexion with short brown hair tied up in a bun above her head

"A courtesy? I don't know if I should feel complimented or offended, Peggy" replied Sam in a sarcastic tone

"At least one thing doesn't change" interjects the red-starred soldier as he removes his goggles and mask revealing his identity. Male, Caucasian, in his early 30s, shoulder length brown hair and studded beard "Once again it all comes down to the Captain and me"

"That's because you've been in Tier 1 longer than we did, Buck" replied Peggy

"Hey, hey, regardless of everything, we can _all_ agree that we had yet another successful training, right Steve?" added Sam as he tries to call the attention of the team's leader who seems lost in his own inner thoughts "Steve?"

"Captain?" asked Buck

The team's captain shook his head as soon as he heard their voices, looking at them as he sighed and proceeded to remove his goggles and mask revealing his identity. Male, Caucasian, short blond hair

"Sorry, I was just…analyzing the result of the exercise"

"Analyzing?" asked Sam with a surprise gesture on his face "Steve, we nailed it, we nailed it yet again, you see? Two bullseyes with black paint marks, that means two targets down, we won"

"Just like we did the last five times we ran this practice" added Peggy

"I know, I'm sorry" Steve shook his head "I guess I can write it down as another good result, all of you did great but I know we can be better, I'll arrange another training session but not for tomorrow, I believe we all earned a rest"

"Couldn't agree more, I'm hitting the showers and then I'm lying down into my bunker" replied Sam who immediately turn his back and proceeded to march back into the station, Peggy followed him afterwards, leaving Buck and Steve behind

"Steve, I know you're our superior officer in the field, but here between friends…you really shouldn't be this hard on everyone, I know you want to run this team perfectly and we have made lots of successful operations together, but even the best has their limits, we have to draw the line"

"I'm aware of that Buck, it's just…" Steve sighed "You know what? Never mind, you're right, not even General Lieber is that hard on us" said Steve in a more light-hearted tone. Buck only replied with a pat on his shoulder and a small laugh and then he turned his back and took his route back to the station leaving Steve alone, pondering in his own thoughts about what happened. All of his teammates were right; this was a successful training exercise, but something is still bugging in his head about the result, but that shouldn't be something of concern. Not now, at least.

He grabbed his gun and prepared to leave but he turned his sight once again to the two towers where the bullseyes were set and then le lifted his right hand to his mouth

"Thank you for the assistance Cadets!" he exclaimed to the pair of cadets positioned in the towers who were performing their role as the enemy

"Not a problem, Sir!" replied one of them. Steve saluted and then proceeded to take his leave. The sun was finally starting to set and as the day fades out…the night comes along.

 **So there you have it, the first chapter of my take on one of Marvel Comics' most iconic heroes: Captain America. This is the first of many new versions of well known heroes that will make part of the "AlternEarth", my alternate universe of Marvel Characters.**

 **Cap is just the first of six heroes who will comprise the first incarnation of AlternEarth's Avengers in the long haul, so this might take a LONG time to develop. I really hope you enjoyed this new take and I'll expect any and all reviews.**

 **Thank you for Reading!**


	2. Next Assignment

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

 **Baghdad, Iraq  
United States Army Troop Base  
20:00**

After the group of soldiers returned to their base after another training session each of them took route to take a rest, except for Captain Steve Rogers who proceeded to march into the command room where he was expected by the acting authority in the camp, General Joseph Simon.

Rogers arrived to the site after having taken a shower and changed back to his mandatory uniform in order to report to his superior, saluting the guards before he announces himself and later be authorized to enter the room. He walks directly into his superior's office, a small room with nothing but a desk, two chairs, an Iraqi map and a pair of thick folders filled with intel.

"Captain Rogers, reporting" said the Captain as he made his salute

"At ease, soldier, have a seat" Steve did as he was told; paying his complete attention to his superior officer, a man in his late 50s, Caucasian, grey hair with very few hair strands of white, balding except on the sides. He was wearing his uniform, filled with a pair of medals "After this last session of training I assume you and your team are ready for another mission"

"As ready as Tier 1 can ever be, sir"

"Good, because this one is a very important mission that we cannot afford to fail" said the General as he handed one of the folders to the Captain who starts to look at the content "Recon has provided us with heavy intel from upper Saladin about a smuggling operation from the Insurgents, or at least that's what we're being led to believe"

"Excuse me sir but, didn't Tier 1 already cleared that area a month ago?"

"Insurgent activity has been almost null since your operation Captain, but it seems that by clearing it from one enemy, we paved the way for another faction"

"Somebody is assisting the Insurgents?"

"They do, but intel couldn't gather much info about who they are the one thing we confirmed is that the kind of weapons they're smuggling could be a game changer"

The Captain looks in astonishment the pictures taken from the enemy weaponry they have gathered, ranging from missiles to laser guns but the technology seems far too advanced for a standard army weapon

"Whoever they may be, we have to stop them before these weapons become active"

"Which is why I'm deploying Tier 1 into enemy territory" replied the General with a serious tone in his voice "Tomorrow, 00:06 hours, a Humvee will transport you and your team to a nearby territory and then you'll proceed as customary. Once you clear the place from both weapons and enemies, send a radio signal and reinforcements will arrive to pick your team, any questions?"

"None, sir" replied Steve as he got up

"Excellent, however, before I dismiss you…" Steve showed curiosity as soon as the General said that phrase "There is something I'd like to discuss with you"

"And what it might be, sir?"

"I've noticed that you have set up over ten consecutive training exercises for your team…is there something going on with your team that requires such an extensive work?"

Steve sighed upon hearing the question

"I just…I want to ensure that Tier 1 operates in the best way possible and ensure that we don't carry any casualty"

"Is this because of the operation at Diyala two weeks ago?" Steve just remained silent, which the General recognized as the answer to that question "Captain, I believe I speak on behalf of the United States Army when I say that we are more than grateful for all the efforts you put fighting for the cause but war _always_ has casualties, all we have to do is make sure that the number of innocent deaths stay at minimum risking our own lives…and also we ensure that our comrades didn't left this world in vain, so you don't need to carry the weight of the fallen on your shoulders"

The General's words seemed to reach Steve's head as he nodded in response

"Thank you General"

"Dismissed, Captain"

"Yes, sir" Steve saluted and turn his back to leave the room. The General sighed as soon as Steve left the room, reflecting on what just happened

"You're a very idealistic soldier Rogers, that heart of yours is stronger than any of us, you really shouldn't carry all that weight on your shoulders" said the General to himself while he took his seat back and took another glimpse to the folder with all the intel for Tier 1's mission.

The campsite for the troops was relatively quiet as the night went down, save for a few soldiers who were talking and preparing for their watchtower duties. Meanwhile, Steve arrives to his tent where Buck is lying on his bed staring at the ceiling

"Where are Sam and Peggy?"

"Haven't seen Peggy for a while, Sam is back there skyping with his father, I'm just waiting until he's done"

Just as soon as Buck said those words, Sam makes his entrance into the room

"Dad wasn't available so I left him a video message, so there you have it 'Your Highness', you can now chat to your mirror" replies Sam in a sarcastic tone as he mocks a reverence

"Comedy is not your forte Sam, and never will"

"Wasn't a joke Buck, it was a statement" replied and then scoffed a laugh

"Before you go Buck" said Steve looking at both of his teammates "We have a mission for tomorrow, a convoy will send us to Saladin for a clean-up"

"Another wave of Insurgents?" asked Buck

Steve shook his head in response "Intel says it's another faction"

Sam whistled in amazement while Buck showed slight concern for Steve's answer

"Well, whoever they are, it's our duty to deal with them" said Buck, Sam nods in agreement

"I'll fill you in with all the specs of the mission once we're en route, by the way; Sam, have you seen Peggy?"

"Haven't seen her since we came back and split but I bet she's on one of the watchtowers"

"Understood, thanks Sam"

Steve nodded as a gesture to his partners and left the room heading towards the south of the base. His path leads him to the south west where the watchtowers aims to the vast desert; while is an unusual spot to detect enemies, it does make a good place for peaceful thinking, which is why Steve knew he'd find her there. Once he stopped on the access ladder he lifts his face and put his hands near his mouth rounding them to project his voice

"I request permission to intrude your post Lieutenant Carter!"

Peggy's head poked from the entrance way at the top of the watchtower uttering a slightly audible laugh

"Just because you're the Captain doesn't mean you have to ask permission to enter!"

"That's not how things go Lieutenant!"

"Alright, alright" replied Peggy as she tried to stifle her laugh "Permission granted Captain Rogers!"

Once he heard her reply he started to climb the ladder to reach the top of the watchtower where he'd find her near the window of the tower watching the distance

"A Penny for your Thoughts" said Steve with a small smile

"Just the typical nostalgia, like every other day, but beats the anxiety of waiting for the next mission" Peggy sighed

"You won't have to wait any longer, we have a new assignment for tomorrow"

"Where?" asked with a slight surprise to hear so soon for another mission

"Upper Saladin, a weapon smuggling operation, someone is helping the Insurgents, I'll fill in the rest of the details once we get en route"

"Understood" replied Peggy as she nodded her head "At least all of these days of training will pay off" added in a joking tone but Steve showed a little concern as the topic of the training sessions was brought again

"Am I really putting you guys through a lot with these training sessions?" asked calmly

"Steve…" Peggy looked a Steve's eyes "you're one hell of a leader and a soldier; Sam and Buck and I will always watch your back on the field no matter what but you're right, we've been working a lot harder than usual and I really don't want to be a bummer but I have the feeling this has something to do with… _the Incident_ "

Steve closed his eyes remembering once again that botched operation that, while successful, did leave a mark on the Captain

"It wasn't your fault about that, we were all distracted to see that we failed to see one insurgent hiding in the top of the buildings and killed Major Walker but…"

"Every member of my team, as well as any Insurgent we capture, is my responsibility" replied the Captain with a serious yet hurt tone of voice "I just want to ensure the least amount of death in this"

"Steve…"

"I know, 'War always has casualties', General Simon told me that"

"What I wanted to say was that I understand what you want to fulfill, it's way too idealistic but…it shows that your heart is in the right place, that's what makes you a good leader"

Steve smiled at the supporting words of his teammate "I appreciate the encouragement"

"I keep saying it, you're the best for this job, which is why the first thing I'll do once we're all back home is to set you up with my sister" Steve looked aghast but couldn't hold back his laughter "I'm serious, you two could be a good couple, you know?"

"Only time will tell, is she still living in England?"

Peggy nodded in response "With mom and dad; they're the fully British ones, her and I are the ones born and raised in America" A short moment of silence came after those words; afterwards, Peggy stood up and walked to the entrance way, right to the edge of the ladder "Well Captain, I'll better go and get some rest, I was just covering for Corporal Burton while he's…you know"

It didn't took long for Steve to realize what she meant so he nodded with an " _Aaaaaah_ " gesture on his face

"I'll take care of Burton when he returns…and thanks for the words"

"Don't need to thank me, I'll see you once we hit the road" said Peggy as she took the last step into the ladder and then climbed down while Captain Rogers stood there, watching the horizon one lasttime for tomorrow it'll be another mission, and as every soldier knows…every mission _could_ be their last one.

 **So there you have it, Chapter 2 is now ready and done. I'm aware this one is very dialogue-heavy but I wanted to show the "Calm before the Storm", especially to show little details from Steve's teammates that may affect in future storylines.**

 **Now, here are a few notes from this chapter (as well as the previous one) related to Easter Eggs and stuff**

 **1.- As you may have seen, Steve's teammates are indeed Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter; HOWEVER this Barnes is named Buck, not James, you'll find that one out in future references.**

 **Also, the symbols from their uniforms on Chapter 1 are related to their mythos: Sam's red bird is a nod to Falcon, Buck's red star is a nod to Winter Soldier and Peggy's golden bird is a nod to the emblem of the S.S.R.**

 **2.- General Simon is a nod to Joe Simon, one of Captain America's co-creators**

 **3.- Major Walker is a nod to John Walker, who in the original comics held the mantle of Captain America and later became U.S. Agent**

 **I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll expect any and all reviews.**

 **Thank you for Reading!**


	3. Into a Trap

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

* * *

 **Iraqi Territory  
En-route to Saladin  
06:00**

It was a quiet route to Saladin where Tier 1's next mission was going to be. All four members prepared themselves like they always do before their missions. It was pretty much a routine for them, from the shower to wearing the tactical suit to assembling their assault rifles and radio equipment for any possible eventuality that requires calling for assistance, especially since the orders are to call once the area is cleared. As soon as they were all set to go they marched towards the Humvee that was waiting for them to send them into their drop zone.

"Heads Up team, we're bound to Upper Saladin for a Search and Destroy operation; The Insurgents are working with an unknown faction in a weapon smuggling operation" informed Captain Rogers with the seriousness that is custom in their line of work.

"Standard weaponry?" asked Buck.

"Highly advanced; we talk about laser technology, stronger rounds of ammunition, more compact explosive arms; these people are bringing in weapons that rank even higher than 'Mass Destruction'"

"I guess saying 'Holy Shit' is an understatement" commented Sam, which provoked a stern look from Steve's face towards him.

"The big question here is _how_ they do it, we swept the city last time we were here so whatever activity they do, it should be noted by satellite since something like that can't come up by magic" added Peggy.

"If you ask me, there might be an underground tunnel system, it's the most logic way to transport them to an empty city and hide them into the empty buildings" replied Steve.

"Makes sense" commented Buck.

"You know the drill, once we're done clearing the area, we'll contact for reinforcements and extraction, any questions?"

"Just one boss" interjected Sam "How we'll celebrate this one?" asked with a smirk.

Buck and Peggy laughed yet Steve maintained the seriousness of the moment only to show a small smile on his face.

"We'll discuss it when the time comes" replied Steve who then turned his face to the window, watching the desert flashing before his eyes as the vehicle is moving.

The group was chatting amongst themselves about what to expect for this mission but Steve was focused on getting the task done and not having any casualties. After a long trek of an hour the Humvee stopped right in the desert but on the path of a trail that leads to a village.

"This is the starting point; I've been ordered to make the drop and depart, the rest is up to you" said the driving soldier.

"Understood" replied Steve who nodded and then saluted the soldier who immediately started the vehicle and turned around to take his leave "It's a long trek to Al-Shirkat but we're prepared" added as he took his assault rifle and gestured with his right hand to move forward.

* * *

 **Later…  
Al-Shirkat, Saladin, Iraq  
07:00**

The team maintained a straight line formation with Steve leading the pack followed by Buck, Peggy and Sam. The tactical suits were made to blend in with the color of the desert sand, therefore it wouldn't be a problem for them being unnoticed, and actually it suits for the best given the situation.

Each member started to distance from one another in a moderate length of four bodies as they march into the city, making small rests in the rocky formations they find. The wind was blowing in moderate speed, something they were thankful so they could avoid a potential sandstorm before they reach the village.

After an hour trekking through the desert, the group has finally reached the village. The place was entirely empty, almost as if the place became a Ghost Town, not a single soul was to be found. Steve was the first one to enter, placing himself in the edge of a wall, peeking his head to his right to see any movement. Once he sees the coast is clear he signals with his right hand to the rest of the group to move forward.

Each one of them had their eyes to the rooftops and the damaged buildings. All the ruins over there make the perfect hideout for their enemies to make a surprise attack while also provide a cover for them in order to advance.

Once they reach a broad plaza Steve starts analyzing the environment. Nothing but torn down trees, light posts on the floor, destroyed cars, it was truly a ghost town where once it laid a beautiful place now damaged by the consequences of war. Steve turned his head towards Buck's position, gesturing with his hand to use the trail of damaged cars as cover to march towards a three-floored building a few meters from his position. Buck nodded and repeated the gestures to Peggy who did the same to Sam.

As soon as Steve made the first steps to the first car the sound of firing bullets echoed in the surroundings hitting the car where Steve was. Buck ran to Steve's position while Peggy and Sam took their rifles and assumed their stance, ready to strike back.

Steve sets his rifle while his teammates are all lined up next to him, each one is aiming at a different point; Sam to the west, Peggy to the front and Buck to the east. Another round of shots emerged hitting the cars that Buck and Steve are using as a shelter, yet none of the Tier 1 soldiers are able to see where the shots are coming from. There are very few buildings in their surroundings; the tallest one is of three floors, which is precisely the one the team is heading to.

"Got 'em!" exclaimed Buck who detected a figure up in the north-east, the direction of the bullets was the giveaway; locating it in a distant position from their target.

"Peggy, help Buck handle them; Sam, you're coming with me" ordered Steve who proceeded to crawl to the nose of the car awaiting for the signal of his teammates.

"GO!" screamed Buck as he started to shoot alongside Peggy. Steve and Sam moved forward, using the other cars to take cover as they get closer to the building.

Steve reaches the place first, bursting in through the open door with Sam not too close behind. Peggy and Buck keep moving and firing their guns as they reach the place and then is when the moment of calm arrives, however, they know that it won't last too long.

"Seems that somebody knew we were coming" commented Buck.

"A trap…how convenient" added Sam who wasn't hiding his anger at what just happened.

"This is what they wanted, but we won't yield against them" replied Steve.

"Guys, I found something!" called Peggy who was exploring the site. At a couple of meters she found a grilled door on the floor that leads to a descending stairway "You were right…there is an underground tunnel system"

"And now we're right in front of the entrance" added Sam.

"Am I the only one who feels this was just…too easy?" asked Buck with a slight concern on his voice. His fears were becoming true as outside of the building the enemy group was setting up a pair of rocket launchers slightly larger than the average RPG. As the enemy is setting up their weapon, Peggy manages to unlock the door, opening the way to the underground.

Just as the group takes one last look around before going through the passage, the enemy soldiers fire their rockets straight into the top floor corners of the already damaged building. The impact sends enough shockwaves to alert the Tier 1 soldiers.

"You guys felt that?" asked Sam

Another shot was fired, now at the middle floor which sent an even stronger shockwave, one powerful enough to make the top floor collapse over the other, causing the building to crumble.

"MOVE!" screamed Steve as he and his teammates made the jump into the entrance as the remains of the building they were started to fall down on them effectively sealing the entrance way. The echo of the falling rocks was fading as the seconds passed by, being replaced by the noise of loud breathing.

"Is everyone OK?" asked Steve as he grabbed a light stick, lighting it up to watch his teammates as they start to recover.

"I'm OK" said Sam

"Same here" added Buck

"Little shook up Sir, but I've been through worse" commented Peggy

Steve sighs in relief, looking around until he bumps into what it seems to be a power switch that's connected to a group of wires leading to the top of the tunnel. He decides to flip it, turning on a long trail of lights that go forward.

"We're trapped" said Peggy with concern

"What's the plan?" asked Buck as he looked at Steve

"There's only one option…we go forward, if there is an entrance, there is an exit and we'll find it" replied the team's captain, grabbing firmly his rifle and then he turned back to begin the long trek through the tunnel. The only question that goes through his mind is what types of danger will they encounter but little does he know that the enemy is indeed waiting for them up ahead.

* * *

 **So there you have it, Chapter 3, things are looking very grim for Tier 1 now that they're trapped in the tunnel but this is only the beginning because from this point forward it will be a dark day for these soldiers.**

 **As for Easter Eggs, the stern glare Steve gave Sam during his swear, might as well consider it as the equivalent of the infamous "Language!" line from the AoU film.**

 **I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll expect any and all reviews.**

 **Thank you for Reading!**


	4. From Bad

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

* * *

 ** _PREVIOUSLY…_**

 _Tier 1 is known as one of the most successful elite units in the U.S. Army's campaign against terrorism. The unit is led by Captain Steve Rogers, followed by Sergeant Buchannan "Buck" Barnes, Lieutenant Sam Wilson and Lieutenant Margaret "Peggy" Carter._

 _The team was sent to a mission in Saladin in order to clear the site of enemy presence and to close an underground weapon smuggling operation; however, the team was ambushed and forced to retreat directly into the tunnels of the operation, leading them into a trap._

* * *

 **Saladin, Iraq  
Underground Tunnel System**

A trap…an elite team of soldiers lured into a trap set by a still mysterious enemy. They know this isn't the type of move the Insurgents would make, or at least the ones they were fighting against all this time.

Tiredness, Anger, Frustration and a slight touch of Fear were the emotions running through them, it was the uncertainty of what lies ahead what made them more afraid but this is what they trained for, this is what they've been fighting for, they knew this wasn't going to be an easy mission…but now they find out it will be even harder than they imagined.

After twelve minutes of trekking through the long tunnel, the only sound that echoed through the place was the noise of their footing; someone had to break the silence between them…

"I really find hard to believe this is their system, I mean, it's just a tunnel, a really, _really_ long tunnel" complained Sam who was right at the end of the line behind Peggy

"You've never been in one of these, did you?" asked Peggy with a slight tone of anger in her voice

"New York's subway system might surprise you"

"You guys should cut it out" interjected Buck to his teammates

As for Steve, he just kept silent marching forward until he starts to notice something as he comes near the left wall of the tunnel. He makes an analytical look at both sides and then to the direction where they've been coming from. His teammates look at each other weirded out by his leader's behavior until he finally breaks the silence

"The tunnel's becoming wider"

The three soldiers' face got even weirder after that statement until they followed their leader's steps forward, noticing how the tunnel was indeed becoming wider, as if they were heading into a larger room within the underground aisles. They all stayed astonished once they see how the tunnel suddenly became something like a cavern, completely wide with a few stone columns supporting the structure. Steve takes a good look as he keeps walking, noticing now a wall with two different paths, one two the left and one right to the front.

"Great…so; where to, Cap?" asked Sam

Steve sighs at the doubt of which path to choose; how to know where it could lead to without a proper map? It was a very risky gamble to choose which way to go and in his mind splitting the team was out of the question, too many chances of getting lost

"I say we go left" says Buck taking a step forward

"I second that motion" adds Peggy

"If Sam doesn't object…" replies Steve as he looks at Sam waiting for approval to which he shakes his head as response "We start with the left"

The decision was unanimous, they all ventured into the left trail of the underground road, it was pointless to refer it as just a tunnel now and it was indeed a whole system. The trail was short as they would notice once the path became thinner; however they all noticed a slight shade of light at the end, a signal that there might be an exit.

Steve was the first on the line of soldiers walking into the source of light, noticing several metal bars resembling a ladder of sorts incrusted into the wall at the end of that tunnel. He looked up and started to climb it, seeing how there were very few streaks of light as he was getting closer to the top only to bump into a crisscrossed type of lid that blocks their way out

"It's sealed" says Steve "It opens from the outside"

"Damn it!" cursed Sam

As soon as Sam said those words the group fell back retracing their steps back into the "station" as they now referred it to. With no more options they went into the other path moving straight ahead

* * *

After not longer than ten minutes the group finds another cavern like "station" and, as well as before, the path splits into two but this time one leads to the front and one leads to the right. The main difference however is that there were lots of crates in that cavern alongside the stone columns, it was almost as if this particular place was to set the ammunition.

Steve gestured with his hands to his teammates to check the crates, each one walking towards one of them, opening them to find out an entire set of bullets and semi-automatic rifles.

"These bullets are way too different" commented Peggy

"How's so?" asked Buck

"Look at the tip; it's liked a serrated circular type of bullet, as if these are meant to pierce hard surfaces"

"You mean like a rock?" asked Sam

"More like a bulletproof vest" interjected Steve "These are a modified version of the 'Copkiller' bullets"

Before this day they were dealing with terrorists who carried dangerous weapons but not on this level of danger. They all had the same thought; this is definitively something even more dangerous than dealing with insurgents.

"We have to move" concluded the Captain signaling his teammates to move to the front route but just as the group was setting up, the noise of metal in the distance echoed through the tunnel. The group instantly took hold of their rifles and took a guard formation each of them back to back in a cross pattern, the noise came from the right, but now instead of metal is the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer.

"We have incoming" whispered Steve who gestured with his right hand to take cover. Steve hid behind one of the stone columns, Peggy and Sam took cover in the crate to the Captain's left and Bucky stood to his right, crouching next to the crater with his rifle in hand but in secure position out of sight from the potential intruders.

Three figures came out from the dark aisle the soldiers previously came; all male, wearing beige cargo pants, black boots, brown vests and a bandana covering the bottom of their faces resembling the teeth of a skull but painted in red and the rest is painted in red with a thick layer of eyeliner resembling the sockets of a skull.

The team was completely frozen in their places, paying attention to the actions of the enemy who seemed oblivious to the hidden presence of American soldiers in their tunnels. The men took a look around; one of them walked into one of the crates, filling his rifle with more ammo before they ended up heading into the front road of the tunnel. The soldiers decided to wait for a few minutes to ensure the path is clear and then they moved slowly into the front path but Steve and Buck each took position into the walls standing guard white Sam and Peggy stood in guard.

Another set of footsteps was heard echoing in the distance becoming louder as it was heading near their position. Steve and Buck were steady until the figure finally made the step to reveal itself to which in a swift move Buck hit him with the back of his rifle right into his temple knocking him down but sadly while his attack was effective, it didn't silence him as he made a loud grunt once he took the hit which alerted the other two enemy troopers.

"Get ready for the incoming" alerted Steve to his teammates who nodded in agreement and positioned to the right side. One of the soldiers stepped out only to receive a punch to the gut from Sam who immediately took his neck in a headlock and threw him to the ground while the other one stepped out just in time to shout out an alert.

"INTRUDERS!"

The last one was instantly silenced by Peggy who hit him in the stomach with the back of her rifle and then hit a swift upper to his nose making him fall to his back. The first solder shook his head trying to regain conscience, seeing how his two companions were taken down and prepared himself to attack Buck from behind but Steve caught eye of the movement and intercepted him by tackling hm to the ground hitting him against one of the crates.

* * *

With the three men down Peggy took a rope one of the enemy soldiers was carrying on his waist and then the group used it to keep the enemies tied up together by their wrists. Steve took a hard look at one of them, analyzing the odd semiology from the face paint and bandana but all he received was a strange laugh from one of them.

"This guy thinks we're a comedy act" says Sam

"The mice of freedom are caught in the lions of chaos' den" replied the laughing soldier

"Who are you?" asked Steve with a stern tone in his voice

"We are agents of chaos. We create death and destruction"

"Why?"

"Because we can"

"These guys are giving me very bad vibes" said Peggy with a slight tone of concern in her voice

"You won't make it to the end" added the enemy soldier

"What makes you think we won't?" asked Steve

"Like I said…you are caught in our den, you doomed yourselves because we allowed you to"

The Tier 1 soldiers exchange stranged looks to each other, feeling the bad vibes Peggy had warned about him.

"What do we do with them?" asked Buck

"We take them as prisioners, after all…they have to guide us to the end of this tunnel" replied Steve.

Sam and Buck approached to the downed enemies to make them stand up and walk but before they could move the sound of the metallic hatch from the other path echoed once again and that could only mean one thing: Enemy reinforcements

"You guys go ahead, I'll handle this" said Buck

"Buck…" Steve showed his concern about the situation but Buck reinforced his decision

"I'll catch you guys, go"

Steve sighed and nodded, gesturing to his teammates with his head to follow him while Buck prepares to receive the enemy. The sound of footsteps echoed through the place; Buck holding his rifle but unbeknownst to him, one of the enemy soldiers unsheathed a blade from his wrist cutting the rope that kept him tied up.

Buck stayed firm in his position, waiting for the slow reveal of the enemy until finally the red faced soldier came out from the path only to receive a shot in his left leg and another one on his shoulder leaving him incapacitated to counterattack.

He walked into the enemy's position seeing that no other man accompanied him, believing he was the only soldier to stepped in but when he turned back to his prisoners he noticed there we noticed there were only two of them and a set of ropes dropped on the floor

"What the…?" Buck couldn't finish the phrase as he was punched to the face with a forearm smash from the escaped enemy. A big scar was marked on his right cheek due to the attack since that forearm carried the blade his enemy used to break free.

Buck stood up ready for a fight, launching himself with a right jab that was dodged by his rival who immediately countered with a left swing, followed by a right swing and then grabbed both sides of his head to crash him to his knee making him fall to the ground.

The red face soldier took his fallen teammate's rifle aiming straight at Buck's right foot and without hesitation shot him right in the ankle. The scream of agony echoed through the place, reaching the Tier 1 soldiers as they were marching through the path

"Buck?" asked Peggy

The enemy lifted his rifle and aimed at his left shoulder shooting once again to ensure he wouldn't use his rifle, causing another painful scream

"He's in trouble" said Sam

"We're going back" added Steve

The enemy lifted his rifle aiming now straight to his head, giving him a cold evil look at his face as he prepared his final shot

"I told you" said the red face soldier

"AAAAARRRRGH!" yelled Buck, a scream that was heard by his teammates but then it was suddenly silenced by the sound of a gunshot that immediately froze the soldiers in their tracks. The three of them were petrified as one thought crossed through their minds…they didn't make it in time to help their teammate.

"Dear God…" whispered Steve as he now only had one thing in his head: His team…is now one man down.

* * *

 **So there you have it, Chapter 4 is finally done after almost a month (A MONTH!) delayed. I apologize for such a long delay but it's been a few hectic weeks for me with work and personal stuff and that can really kill your motivation to write. Also, I made lots of changes to this chapter as I didn't felt it was right, I hope the end result is better than any of my previous attempts.**

 **Now, for the Easter Eggs, the enemy description should be very familiar with those who know Marvel lore, especially Cap's enemies. More about them will be revealed in further chapters.**

 **And if you thought things are bad now that there's one man down…think again folks.**

 **Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it and drop a review if you like!**


	5. to Worse

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

* * *

 ** _PREVIOUSLY…_**

 _Tier 1, a U.S. Army elite unitled by Captain Steve Rogers, was sent to a mission in Saladin, Iraq in order to clear the site of enemy presence and to close an underground weapon smuggling operation; however, the team was ambushed and forced to retreat directly into the tunnels of the operation, leading them into a trap._

 _The team bumped into the enemy group, men clad in facial red paint and skull bandanas claiming to be "Agents of Chaos". A fight broke out in one of the "stations" of the tunnel system but things took a dark turn when Buck Barnes was killed by one of the enemy soldiers._

* * *

 **Saladin, Iraq  
Underground Tunnel System**

In that moment, all three soldiers felt like time was frozen and there wasn't another soul but the three of them. The pain and anger they felt from the moment they fell into the trap just grew higher within their blood in that exact second. They were marching through the tight tunnel ready to aid their comrade in a fight against a group of lethal soldiers but in the middle of their path the last thing they heard was a sound they wished they never listened…the sound of an agonizing scream instantly silenced by the echo of a gunshot.

"Dear God…" a painful whisper came out of Peggy's mouth just as that echo rung to her ears

"We have to move" Sam immediately snapped out of the trance and spoke with seriousness

"He's right…we can't stay here, we need to hit the next station and strike them right as they come" said Steve who then turned his back to his teammates and resumed his path into the front.

Sam put his hand on Peggy's shoulder to comfort her through this very bitter ordeal, a gesture she appreciated by nodding her head. Now that they are aware of the enemy presence they must now step up the pace, even with the weight of the fatigue on their shoulders.

How long has it been since they got in the tunnels? An hour? Maybe two? All they did ever since was running a long and twisting tunnel, no change in elevation but it sure had its twists and turns and as the minutes went by, all they wanted to do was to reach the next station and deal with the enemy who are surely chasing them not too far behind.

They were panting, sweat dropping from their foreheads, the exhaustion already setting in but the thought of survival is the only thing that keeps them moving and prevents them from falling apart. After a grueling march of over half an hour they finally notice how the tunnel becomes a bit wider and wider, the signal that the next station is approaching.

Once they arrive they see it's even bigger than the previous ones, both in width and in height, also with an even larger amount of crates, some of them piled up.

"Are all of these their weapons?" asked Sam while he was looking around the crates

"This might as well be the main depot" replied Steve

"We must keep moving" commented Peggy "at least we know that there isn't double routes like the other ones" added at the sight of only one path on the other side of the station unlike two like the previous ones

"Then we got an opportunity for an ambush" added Steve. The combination of piled up crates and the stone columns gathered around the place provides a good place to build an ambush against the enemy troopers.

Steve gestured with his right hand to mobilize their positions, Steve and Peggy hid behind a pair of stone columns at a safe distance while Sam used the crates to take cover. The enemy footsteps started to echo though the place getting louder by the second, meaning they were approaching.

The three male figures emerged from the tunnel slowing their pace as soon as they entered the place. They made a triangle formation joining their backs together as they made a slow path through the cavern-like station. The Tier 1 soldiers paid attention on the sound of their footing as they were getting closer to their positions, silently listening to their movement, slow and steady marching through a straight path, as if they were making a beeline to the other end of the site.

Once the moved out of position, Steve nodded to Peggy to make her move grabbing her assault rifle to move from her column to another one, firing a few shots to call their attention. Sam took advantage and made the exact same play moving from one pile of crates to a column also firing shots at the enemy distracting them and Steve repeats the same move; all in a strategy to run and surround them in a triangle pattern of movements using the environment to their advantage with constant running and shooting.

However, the enemy is starting to become aware of the pattern, noticing the timing between movements. Once they made the calculations all they had to do was to wait for the right moment to defend themselves from the shots of the Tier 1 soldiers. One of the troopers immediately saw the opening once Peggy ran near him, focusing on her movements to then catch her wide open. As soon as she was on sight the trooper fired two quick shots towards her, striking her on her right side of her stomach and chest, making her scream in pain for the impact of those deadly bullets the enemy carries.

"PEGGY!"

Steve's reaction was one of fear, one he never showed in all of his missions, but that fear quickly disappeared and was replaced with rage and anger. Steve took his rifle and ran right towards the attacker, hitting him with the back of his gun into his temple knocking him down, planting a foot on his back to keep him on the ground.

One of the soldiers decided to take advantage and aim at Steve but Sam took his rifle and aimed at the enemy trooper firing three shots that were enough to take him down. The last one immediately saw the scene and made a quick realization at how the tables have turned; now finding himself in a 2-to-1 disadvantage, he decides to make a run to the other side of the cavern.

"Go get him, we'll follow you" Sam told Steve who was hesitant about chasing him when in his head his priority is dealing with the enemy they already brought down

"Steve…" Peggy was breathing heavily due to her injuries "Go…go and keep up the fight"

Steve watched his teammates with awe, seeing how they were encouraging him to pursue the enemy and fulfill the mission considering the risks

"I'll finish this" replied Steve as he grabbed once again his rifle "Take care of her Sam" added as he nodded as a sign of farewell which was answered by them in the same manner; however, once Steve left Peggy's face changed from encouragement to sadness

"I'm not gonna make it" sighed Peggy as she was starting to give in to the pain

"Don't you dare to say that" said Sam with a slight tone of anger

"The saddest part of all is…" she mused as her breathing became more and more slow "I failed to keep my promise to Steve…" she said remembering that she promised to set up Steve with her younger sister once they all return home, a promise that now becomes clear that it won't be fulfilled.

"Come on Peggy, stay away from the light girl, stay away from the light" Sam holds her hand as she starts to fade away, confident that in spite of the circumstances and the fact that she won't be alive to witness it, Steve will make it through and succeed. Sam feels how her grip is becoming looser by the second, noting now how her fingers slide away from his grasp and she finally fades away; the unequivocal sign that she has left this world.

Sam steps back to stand up and give her fallen comrade a final salute before joining Steve back into the path but just as he passes by one of the fallen soldiers, the body reacts in a fast move with a sweeping kick that knocks Sam down to the floor.

The trooper who was previously knocked down by Steve rolls on the floor to return against Sam to hold him into a leg scissor hold wrapping him on his chest and shoulder in order to grab one of his arms and twist it just enough to snap it. A scream of pain echoed from Sam's mouth right behind the sound of the bone breaking from that hold.

The trooper let go of the hold to change his position, grabbing him from the back of his neck to lift him up but in that moment Sam stomps his enemy's foot making him loose the grab, taking advantage of it to hit him with the back of his head into his nose to take a small distance, just enough to strike him with a kick to the chest that drops him to the floor.

"Is that the best you got, bitch?" Asked Sam in the middle of his panting, reeling from the attack and ready to give him some more

"You don't realize it, do you?" replied his enemy, maintaining his guard as he jumps towards Sam, dodging another kick to give him an uppercut that drops him to the floor and then he puts his foot on top of Sam's chest to keep him down "You're all going to die…" he says as he takes two grenades from his belt "…one way…" then he removes the safety pins from both grenades holding them in his hands "…or another" ended as he closed his eyes while Sam just looked in abject horror at the moment, which then in a matter of seconds changed into a blinding white light.

* * *

 **So there you have it, Chapter 5 and as the title said, things went from BAD to WORSE as we're now 3 down out of 4 for the Tier 1 team. How will Steve survive this ordeal? Stay tuned to find that out! After all…he still** ** _has_** **to become Captain America**

 **Also, I'm considering changing the rating to M given what just transpired in the story, so far I haven't received any notification but it doesn't hurt to be safe so if you suddenly notice the change, you know the reason why**

 **As always, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it and drop a review if you like!**


	6. Last Man Standing

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, these are reinterpretations of well established characters from Marvel Comics but set and established in an entirely alternate universe. This is not a story made for profit, this is a story made for the sole purpose of entertain the readers as well as any comic book fan out there. However, the stories written here do belong to me, for they are part of a new universe of my creation called "The AlternEarth".**

 **You may see some similarities with the well known stories of origin but trust me, there will be twists and changes that will make it stand as its own.**

* * *

 _ **PREVIOUSLY…**_

 _Tier 1, a U.S. Army elite unit led by Captain Steve Rogers, was sent to a mission in Saladin, Iraq in order to clear the site of enemy presence and to close an underground weapon smuggling operation; however, the team was ambushed and forced to retreat directly into the tunnels of the operation, leading them into a trap._

 _The team bumped into the enemy group, men clad in facial red paint and skull bandanas claiming to be "Agents of Chaos" but one by one, the Tier 1 members have fallen against these lethal soldiers, leaving Steve as the last man standing chasing the sole survivor of the enemy unit_

* * *

 **Saladin, Iraq  
Underground Tunnel System**

As Steve was running through the tunnel a sudden shake at the whole structure was felt accompanied by the faded echo of an explosion. Steve halted his march and turned his face behind with only one thought in his mind.

"Sam?" He left Sam and Peggy behind but deep down he feels this is a dark omen of the things to come. _'No…it can't be'_ He thought as he slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, turning his face back to the front and retaking his pace through the long tunnel.

Once again his mind was wondering how long has been since they started the mission, how many hours has transpired since he and his team entered that village. What it began as a simple mission became a nightmare, a nightmare he wishes he could wake up right now.

The lights of the long tunnel were becoming dimmer, but as the path went forward, a different kind of light was emerging from the horizon. A straightforward line was all that was left of the tunnel's path while the surface now became a semblance of a stairway, just like it was at the entrance of that long tunnel system

"Is that…?" Steve wondered if his eyes weren't fooling him but as he kept walking forward he realized that it was real, he finally found the other side of the long tunnel, the exit of the whole underground system that became a living nightmare for him and his now fallen teammates.

As soon as he walked that stairway he started to feel the gentle breeze of the wind blowing through that gaping hole that served as the gate. The light became intense and blinding for a few seconds, forcing him to cover his eyes to recover, slowly opening with paused blinks in order to regain a proper sense of sight.

Now he contemplates the scenery, it was another village, just like the one where they entered and also entirely empty and showing nothing but the ravages of war, the image of devastation brought by the constant battles and the blast of the heavy weaponry used in the heat of the fight but now all that resembles is a literal ghost town; and as it happens with any ghost town, the silence is the predominant 'noise' in the environment, nothing but the gentle sound of the wind blowing through him.

He analyzes his surroundings, trying to find the location of his enemy, walking through what it seems to be a group of small houses, most of them now as ruins with several walls torn down. Steve kept his hands on his rifle walking cautiously as he kept looking around, trying to catch the last enemy soldier left in the field.

Steve kept all of his senses sharp as he ventured into the open, walking near a group of ravaged cars as a potential safety barrier. That thought came in handy as a barrage of bullets was fired at him, making him jump into one of the cars to cover himself. Noting the direction of the shot he crouched near the right side of the front bumper, aiming at a two-floor building where the shooting came from, firing his rifle at that position. He calculated the shots attempting to avoid running out of bullets in the fight, trying to save enough ammo for a closer encounter but he knows that if he wants to survive, he must fight this one until the bitter end.

He moves to his right, keeping his eyes on the target represented by the ruins of the building where his enemy is firing at him but there is no response. Not a single shot fired from that point, nothing but emptiness. He let the minutes go by in silence waiting for a signal to move forward, a signal that came when the faint sound of footsteps was heard in the distance. It was right then when Rogers decided to move from his hiding spot to chase his enemy, heading in a straight line with quick steps into the main entrance of the place that barely qualifies as a building.

There was nothing but rocks and rusted metallic barrels in the surroundings. He kept his senses sharp as he slowly walked inside the place until a bullet flies by to his right. His reflexes point him to grab the lid of one of the barrels and throw it into the direction of the bullet, forcing the enemy soldier to run from his position and then give chase into the open.

He finally has him on his sight, ready for one shot to take him down. Steve grabs his rifle and aims at where he's running, thankfully he's not too far of the range, and all he needs is to take the shoot. He holds it steady, aiming in a straight line, taking a deep breath and hold it in until after a few steps he takes the shot. BANG! He hits on his right leg, leaving him served for the taking.

Once the enemy is down, Steve slowly walks to his place, aiming his rifle straight to him with caution in the eventuality of any surprises. He contained his breath as he stood right next to the soldier he took down, aiming right into his head.

"It's over" said Steve as he kept his position.

He slowly got down searching for any weapon he might have concealed but in a matter of a split second his enemy rolled to his back and executed a swift kick to his knee and then another one to his head forcing Steve to drop his rifle. The enemy soldier jumped to a crouching position as he pulled a knife from his waist, looking at Steve like a wolf at his prey. He lunged at him, but Steve reacted quickly by moving to his right, grabbing the arm that holds the knife as his enemy tries to stab him into his chest. The grunts of the struggle are loud, but they're silenced by the sound of the impact of Steve's head busting against the enemy's in a strong head-butt that distracts him long enough to connect a right jab to his jaw.

Steve grabs the hand that holds the knife and tries to force him to release it, but in that moment his enemy takes advantage of the short distance to grab him in a chokehold with the other arm applying enough force to make him relinquish his hand, which he moves to grab a grenade from his waist.

"The battle is over. You have lost" whispers his enemy into Steve's ear. That triggered quick flashes of memory into his head, reliving how his friends and teammates were left behind and dead because of the people his enemy is representing "We will raise until chaos reigns" adds the enemy soldier as he releases the grenade's pin.

It was in those seconds he bit his enemy's arm and stomped his foot to gain his release. He ran a couple of steps as his enemy dropped the grenade but the explosion emerged in an instant, pushing Steve a few feet into the distance, rolling and tumbling on the floor, bruising his body and busting his head on the impact. The fire emerges and rises as the wind blows the smoke that accompanies it.

Only a body lies on the floor, slowly twitching in pain for the impact and the heat of that explosion combined. The heavy breathing indicates he's barely alive and he shouldn't be, but for some reason he still is alive and breathing. He slowly opens his eyes and the first thing he manages to glimpse is another man aiming a rifle at him, his clothes are ragged except of a skull bandana covering half of his face.

"It's all...over" says the soldier as he cocks the rifle "Everyone...will die" He slowly aims at the head of the fallen soldier "One way...or ano...UGH!"

His words are interrupted by a shot to his back, followed by another one that makes him fall to his knees and then a third one that finally makes him fall face down to the floor. The sounds of footsteps follow the attack. Three men arrive checking on the fallen bodies, coming near the enemy soldier first.

"He's dead" says one of the men as he was checking his pulse.

"This one's still alive" adds the second man "The name is Rogers, seems to be an American soldier"

"Call the American allies, tell them we found one of his men, let's try to keep him alive until they pick him up" replies the third man. All three wear cargo pants, white shirts and their heads are covered in turbans and masks, protecting them from the strong winds of the desert that surrounds them. Three rebel fighters who are allied with the United States Army have found and saved Steve Rogers but his life is not hanging by a thread and there's no telling of when it will snap.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...  
Washington D.C.  
The Triskellion - Strategic Homeland, Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Division Headquarters  
20:00**

The room is inhabited by a lone man in his late forties; Caucasian, brown hair, albeit there are signs of balding from the top of his head, wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a crimson colored tie, a standard uniform for all the people working there. He is typing a report in his computer while at the same time his television screen shows the evening news. The screen shows the preparations of a peace summit between the United States and a group of leaders from the Middle East countries.

As he is typing the report of the security preparations for the event, the sound of the door knocking interrupts his thoughts

"Come in" says the man in the office. Right on cue a man in his late thirties steps in. Tanned skin, buzz cut hair and glasses are his highlighted features and he's wearing the same suit but with a grey tie.

"Sir, we received a report from Iraq, there's been another attack" says in a serious tone

"How long has it been since the previous one?"

"Two weeks. This is the eighth attack to our troops in the last month, but there's been a difference with this one" he takes a deep breath before he drops the next piece of information "There's a survivor"

The man stares at his fellow worker with a surprised yet serious look on his face

"A survivor?" He asks with curiosity in his voice

"He was found by a group of rebel fighters who are allied with the army, they contacted the troops and he's been taken care of, however...he's on critical condition" replies with a tone that becomes grimmer as he kept talking

"Keep him alive and bring him back home ASAP and I want a full report on him and any other casualty from that attack"

"Yes, sir"

"And also put the doctor on standby; if the report comes as I expect, then we'll need him"

"Understood, sir; anything else?"

"That would be all Agent Sitwell"

The agent nods and then he retires from the room, leaving his boss once again alone in his thoughts, then he opens another file with a picture that shows a group of soldiers wearing red face paint and skull bandanas. He glares at that picture as the thought of how many people had died because of them but now someone managed to outlive them and if faith would have it, he would be the factor to bring the fight back to them. Now is the sound of his cell phone that interrupts his thoughts, but after three buzzes he finally picks it up

"Coulson...excellent, we'll meet first hour tomorrow at the airport"

* * *

 **So there you have it, Chapter 6…**

 **First of all, I apologize for the unplanned hiatus but after some personal circumstances, the inspiration came back and so did I. I'll try to avoid another long delay, but I won't guarantee anything, the one thing I do promise is that I won't leave this story unfinished.**

 **As for the story itself, our good Captain survived…barely, but that doesn't mean it's the end of his journey. Also, now you have seen the introduction of one of our key supporting cast members of the whole AlternEarth.**

 **As always, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it and drop a review if you like!**


End file.
